Hear Me Out, August 31, 2018

This week, Governor Scott Walker declared a statewide state of emergency due to severe storms that has caused tornadoes and flooding. And, weather forecasters say it could get worse before it gets better because more rain is on the way for southern Wisconsin.

The entire state has seen more frequent, heavy rainfalls and that’s posing a threat to one particular crop – wild rice. Dylan Jennings with the Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa and Emily Nelis with the Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission talk about the significance of wild rice to Anishinaabe people and what’s stressing the crop in northern Wisconsin.

Also with GLIFWC, wildlife biologist Peter David talks about how the wild rice crop is faring this year. Plus, Steve Vavrus, a senior scientist with the Nelson Institute Center for Climactic Research at UW-Madison, talks about what’s behind the increase in heavy rains over the past several decades.

After a huge storm dumped 11 inches of rain on parts of Dane County earlier this week, floodwater levels are still on the rise. A University of Wisconsin-Madison scientist said climate models suggest that residents can expect more storms like this in the coming decades in the Midwest.

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